Best things to do in Madagascar
21.07.2023 - 07:37
/ roughguides.com
Idyllic tropical beaches are what first draw many visitors to Madagascar. Still, this immense island also hosts a fascinating assemblage of exotic wildlife and a unique fusion of African and Asiatic cultures. Explore our list of the best things to do in Madagascar and see why you should consider this country as your next holiday destination.
This article is inspired by our Rough Guides guidebooks — your essential guides for travelling the world.
Fianar’s hilltop old town is one of Madagascar’s most picturesque, with narrow lanes and views across the modern city and its rice fields. Fianarantsoa, the historic capital of Haute Matsiatra Region, is Madagascar’s fifth-largest city, with a population estimated at around 200,000. Fianarantsoa’s main point of interest is HauteVille, whose characterful assemblage of sloping cobbled alleys and 19th-century buildings.
The old town’s main square is overlooked by the Cathédrale d’Ambozontany, an imposing brick-faced Catholic edifice. A popular overnight base or lunch stop in the vicinity of Fianarantsoa, Lac Sahambavy, is a pretty artificial lake surrounded by pine plantations and overlooked by the legendary Lac Hôtel.
This tailor-made trip to Wild Madagascar discovers dusty desert canyons, and lush rainforests teeming with wildlife and trek through national parks. Explore the bustling capital Tana, then stop by the beach at Ifaty where you'll encounter forests of baobab trees and wandering tribesmen.
Find more accommodation options to stay in Fianarantsoa
Fianarantsoa, Madagascar © Pierre-Yves Babelon/Shutterstock
The Parc National Andasibe-Mantadia ranks among one of the best things to do in Madagascar for wildlife, boasting a good selection that collectively attracts more than 20,000 foreign visitors annually in recent years. The rainforest here is the main stronghold of the indri, which is renowned both as Madagascar’s largest lemur.
The park also ranks as one of the country’s key ornithological destinations, with more than 110 species recorded, and it supports a wide variety of colourful orchids. Popular night walks along the main road through the forest offer a great opportunity to see nocturnal lemurs, chameleons and an array of colourful tree frogs.
Lemur in Parc National d’Andasibe-Mantadia © worldclassphoto/Shutterstock
Île Sainte-Marie is a 222-sq-km (86-sq-mile) granitic island situated 7km (4 miles) offshore of the closest mainland peninsula. Officially known but seldom referred to as Nosy Boraha, the sliver-like island stretches almost 60km (36 miles) from north to south. It is nowhere significantly more than 5km (3 miles) wide, and its maximum altitude is a relatively modest 114 metres (374ft).
As is the case with Nosy Be, Sainte-Marie offers great